Don’t tell that to the England Women’s Football Team—the Lionesses—who just suffered an unimaginable blow. It was the first time they’ve lost at home since October of 2024. In a closely contested match at the Etihad Stadium, England lost 2-1 to Brazil, marking a significant moment in their recent campaign. The England Lionesses are preparing to take on Australia. With new fans and excitement packing the sold-out Pride Park, fans can’t wait for this highly anticipated match.
The defeat against Brazil underlined a dangerous and concerning trend for the Lionesses. They’ve trailed after nine holes in all four of their past matches. This is on the heels of past matches against Sweden, Italy and most recently Spain in the Euros. Even with these hurdles, the squad showed tenacity by winning them in come-from-behind fashion on all three occasions. They pulled off the same thing against Brazil, underlining their resolve and never-say-die attitude.
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton’s absence from England’s most recent match against Brazil was particularly telling, as she missed act for a slight elbow injury. But all isn’t lost — there’s still hope for her return! Assuming no hurdles during her rehab progress, she may be on board with the team for their next match against Australia.
As the Lionesses prepare to face Australia in the semi-finals, it’s their most recent match against the Matildas that still stings. In the 2023 World Cup’s semi-finals, England beat Australia 3-1. As Ella Toone suggests, the Matildas will be very much on the hunt for revenge after that defeat.
“For Australia, we broke a lot of their hearts out there at the World Cup so, for them, it’ll feel like a revenge game.” – Ella Toone
Looking ahead to the friendly match against Australia, Toone emphasized the importance of winning every game, reiterating the competitive spirit of the Lionesses.
“We’re England, we want to win every game. These games are friendlies – but there are no friendlies in football.” – Ella Toone
Head coach Sarina Wiegman admitted that it was high quality opposition, such as Brazil and Australia, which posed the biggest test. Of late performances, she mentioned how there had been chances to finish in the past games.
“I think the Spain game, we started well and we could’ve scored 1-0. The Italy game we could’ve scored 1-0. The Sweden game we didn’t start that well. The France game we started really well and scored a goal.” – Sarina Wiegman
Overall, Wiegman’s approach is smartly future-oriented in developing a deep and strong team that can face the best in the world. And of course, she grows fonder in the run up to these fierce, fiery fixtures. She thinks they’re critically important for the team’s development, maturation and growth.
The Lionesses aim to regain their winning momentum against Australia while addressing the issues that have led to their recent struggles. With Hampton potentially returning to the lineup and a strong desire to win every match, England will look to put forth a commanding performance at Pride Park.
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